Clock



Aug. 8, 1933. p VANN|N| I 1,921,595

CLOCK Filed June 27, 1928 lNVE/VTOR w rm Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITEDSTATES oLooK Philipp Vannini, Zug, Switzerland, assignor, by mesneassignments, to Landis & Gyr, A-G.,- of Zug, Switzerland, a limitedjoint stock company of Switzerland Application June 27', 1928, SerialNo. 288,692, r and inSwitzerland July 19, 1927 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in clock mechanismsand morev especially to new and useful improvements in clevices forsupporting, positioning and locking the clock movement and pendulum asrequired for running and for shipment.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of theinstrumentalities and combinations pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together withthe description: serves to explain the principles of the invention;

Of the drawing: Q

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device embodying the invention; and IFig. 2'is a central vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The invention is directed primarily to providing novel and usefuldevices for permitting the spring pendulum of a clock to be optionallyand alternatively freely suspended in operating position while running,or to be locked firmly in position for shipment or transportations; and.preferably in connection therewith, and forming a part of the samedevices, with means for firmly locking the clock movement in suspendedposi-' tion while running, and permitting its free removal for shipmentor transportation.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the invention illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawing, a portion of a clockcasing 1 is shown and supported thereon and fastened thereto is apendulum and clock movement supporting plate 2. The means for supportingthe pendulum in operating position and for looking it in fixed positionfor transportation, comprises a pair of side-by-side brackets 3 and 4,projecting outwardly from the back plate 2 of the support, andpreferably integral therewith. Extending across between the upper rearportion of the bracket plates 3 and 4 is a cross-piece 5, which islikewise preferably integral with the foregoing described structure.

The pendulum may be of any known or other suitable form, and issuspended in a known manner from a spring 11, by a suitable connecsides22 and 23.

tion 12 betweenthe top of the pendulum rod and the bottom of the'spring.The upper end of the spring is connected at 13 to a transverselydispcsedsupporting rod which projects cutwardly' at either side to form asupport for the spring and the pendulum. The rod 14 when the pendulum isin operative position, rests at either end in angled recesses 15 and 16in the upper face of the side brackets 3 and 4:. By

reason of the angled or V-shaped form of the bottom of these recesses,the rod 14 is selfpositioning.

In the embodied form of means for fixing or locking the pendulum inposition to be transported'without injury, a transversely-extending bar21 is fixed to the upper end of-the pendulum rod 10. The bar 21 isprovided with means which interlock with means formed on the sidebrackets 3 and 4 when the pendulum is moved upwardly; and as shown, theupper surface-of the bar 21 isinclined from either side so as to form aV-shaped cross-section, having inclined The under-side of the bracketplates 3 and i have correspondingly shaped and sized V-shaped notches 24and 25 formed therein, into which the ends of the bar 21 fit firmly andsnugly when the pendulum rod is at the top limit of its movement.

The embodied form of 'means for optionaily moving the pendulum rod up ordown vertically,

so as to have the pendulum rest in operative position, suspendedfrom therod 14, or to have it locked firmly in'fixed position by pressing thebar 21 into the recesses 24 and 25, comprise a yoke-like pendulumlifting and lowering member, mounted upon and embracing the side bracketstructures 3 and 4. This pendulum positioning device is verticallyslidable along,

and is capable of being clamped to the bracket structure in variouspositions. As e1nbodied, this pendulum-moving device is convenientlyformed as a yoke-like slide, having a top reach 29, located above thecross bar 5 of the supporting bracket, this top reach of the slideterminating in vertically-disposed reaches 30 and 31, extending alongthe outer sides of the brackets 3 and 4. At their bottom ends thevertical reaches 30 and 31 of the guide yoke terminate in inwardly andhorizontally extending pendulum lifting and lowering fingers 32 and 33,respectively, which are in line with and are beneath the cross bar 21,which is fixed to the pendulum.

For the purpose of vertically moving the pendulum-positioning device, ascrew rod 38 is rotation of the screw-threaded rod 38, but cause thependulum-positioning device to rise or descend as the screw rod isturned.

for, there are provided guiding screws 43 and 44 which arescrew-threaded,into .th0,bOllt11-fi sides or" the bracket members3;'-and 4-. lfhese disposed slots d5 formed in the reaches and 31 of theguide yoke, the heads .oi the screws being on the outer sides oithegparts 30 Thus, by turning the screw rod 38,

and 31. the pendulum-positioning device maybe'raised or lowered, and itmay be clamped inv any longitudinal position or released therefrom byturning the screws 43 and 44.

When the pendulum isto be clamped in fixed 2:3 position, screw rod 38 isturned to raise the positioning device, and the fingers 32 as they moveupwardly will engage with the bottom side of the bar 21, and will moveit into and press it firmly against the v-shaped recesses 24 and 25 inthe bottoms of the, side braokehthereby securely clamping the pendulumin fixed position. When the pendulum is to be operated, the screw rod 38is turned, to permit the pendulum to move downwardly until thesupporting rod ii is sup- ?po'rted in the V-shaped notches 15 and 16 inthe top surfaces of the brackets, at which. time the fingers 32 are freefrom the cross bar 21, as shown in Fig. 1.

According to certain features of the invention, means are provided,preferably as a part of the pendulum-positioning and locking mechanism,for removably suspending the clock movement in operative relation withthe pendulum and for looking it in position when the pendulum is inoperativev position. As embodied, hook-like supports 51 and 52 areformed on the front faces of the bracket plates 3 and e of "thesupporting device for the pendulum and clock 'movement.

A cross bar 53 is fixed to and extending transversely across the backframe plate-55 of the clock movement 56, and this bar is of correspond--ing rectangular or other form so as to fit accurately within thesupporting faces of the hooks and 52. When this bar rests within thesupnorts. 51 and 52, the clock movement is held accurately in operativeposition with the pen-- dulum, with the escapement. of the clock move- Iment in connection with the pendulum by the usual forked arm 57, or inany other suitable manner. The means for locking the clock movement inrunning position comprisestwo project ing fingers 58 and 59 formed onthe front edges of the side reaches 30 and 31 of the pendulumpositioning device. When the screw rod 38 is In the ems. bodied form ofguiding and locking means there;

"' screws project outwardly through longitudinally v turned downwardlythe lower faces of these fingers fit upon the top face of the supportingcross bar 53 of the clock movement, and clamp it firmly in position inthe supporting and positioning members 51 and 52. The clock movement isheld thusfirmlypin positionuntil the screw rod-38is turned toliftithependulum from operative position. The positional relation forthe release of the clock movement from its support in desired relationto the movement of the pendulum can be effected by the positionalrelation or" the supporting hooks 51 and 52 to the pendulum clampingmeans.

Ifhe invention in its broader aspects is not limitedto thespecificmechanisms shown and I described but departures may be made therefromwithin the scope. of the accompanying claims without ,departing from theprinciples or" the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

What I claim. is: 1 1. A clock including. in combination a clocmovement, a spring hung pendulum, means for lowering the pendulum tosuspend it by its spring and for raising it to clamp it in fixedposition,

and means asscciated withsaid means for locking the clock movement inposition when the penduluinis hung from itsspring'and for releasing theclock movement when the pendulum is held in fixed position.

2.]A clock including in combination a. clock movement, a spring, hungpendulum, a bar fixed to the pendulum below the spring, a bracket abovethe bar andmovable fingers to raise the barand pendulum and to'clamp'the bar between the. fingers and the bracket. 3. A clock including; incombination a clock movement, a spring 'hungpen dulum, a bar fixed tothe, pendulum below the spring, a bracket above the bar andfingersnormally permitting ,thependulum to be supported'by the springbut movable to raise the bar and pendulumto clamp the bar between thevfingers and bracket.

l. A clock including in combination a clock movement a spring hungpendulum, means for holding said pendulum in fixed position orforreleasing the same whereby it is permitted to hang from its springahdmeans associated with said means for locking said movement in positionwhen the pendulum is hung from its spring.

5. A clockincluding in combination aclock movement, a support therefor,a spring hung pendulum, a bar attached to said pendulum above thespring, a bar attached to the pendulum below the spring, averticallyslidable member on said support adapted to "support the lower bar or tomove away therefrom to permit said upper bar to ..support.t he pendulumfrom said support whereby the pendulum may be supported either above orbelow said spring and means on said vertically movable slide to lock theclock mechanism in position when the pendulum is free, to swing. I

i .PHILIPP rVANNINI.

